Rural population (% of total population) (Rural World Urbanization) in Central African Republic
Central African Republic: Rural population (% of total population) (Rural World Urbanization) was 55.4% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
55.4%
Change on year
down 0.8%
World rank
55th
of 218 countries
All-time high
79.9%
in 1960
All-time low
55.4%
in 2025
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Rural population in Central African Republic, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
Central African Republic recorded 55.4% for rural population in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 66 years on record.
That represents a change of down 0.8% on the previous year and down 7.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population in Central African Republic peaked at 79.9% in 1960 and was at its lowest, 55.4%, in 2025.
Central African Republic ranks 55th of 218 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 66 years of available data.
Rural population (% of total population) (Rural World Urbanization) in Central African Republic, year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 79.9% | — |
| 1961 | 79.3% | -0.7% |
| 1962 | 78.8% | -0.7% |
| 1963 | 78.1% | -0.8% |
| 1964 | 77.5% | -0.8% |
| 1965 | 76.8% | -0.9% |
| 1966 | 76.0% | -1.0% |
| 1967 | 75.3% | -1.0% |
| 1968 | 74.4% | -1.1% |
| 1969 | 73.5% | -1.2% |
| 1970 | 72.4% | -1.6% |
| 1971 | 70.9% | -2.0% |
| 1972 | 69.3% | -2.2% |
| 1973 | 67.8% | -2.2% |
| 1974 | 66.5% | -1.9% |
| 1975 | 65.6% | -1.3% |
| 1976 | 65.2% | -0.7% |
| 1977 | 64.8% | -0.5% |
| 1978 | 64.6% | -0.4% |
| 1979 | 64.3% | -0.4% |
| 1980 | 64.1% | -0.4% |
| 1981 | 63.9% | -0.3% |
| 1982 | 63.7% | -0.3% |
| 1983 | 63.5% | -0.2% |
| 1984 | 63.4% | -0.2% |
| 1985 | 63.3% | -0.2% |
| 1986 | 63.2% | -0.2% |
| 1987 | 63.1% | -0.2% |
| 1988 | 63.0% | -0.1% |
| 1989 | 62.9% | -0.1% |
| 1990 | 62.8% | -0.1% |
| 1991 | 62.7% | -0.1% |
| 1992 | 62.7% | -0.1% |
| 1993 | 62.6% | -0.1% |
| 1994 | 62.6% | -0.1% |
| 1995 | 62.5% | -0.1% |
| 1996 | 62.5% | -0.1% |
| 1997 | 62.4% | -0.1% |
| 1998 | 62.4% | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 62.3% | -0.1% |
| 2000 | 62.3% | -0.1% |
| 2001 | 62.2% | -0.1% |
| 2002 | 62.2% | -0.1% |
| 2003 | 62.1% | -0.1% |
| 2004 | 62.0% | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 62.0% | -0.1% |
| 2006 | 61.9% | -0.1% |
| 2007 | 61.8% | -0.2% |
| 2008 | 61.7% | -0.2% |
| 2009 | 61.5% | -0.2% |
| 2010 | 61.4% | -0.2% |
| 2011 | 61.2% | -0.3% |
| 2012 | 61.0% | -0.4% |
| 2013 | 60.7% | -0.4% |
| 2014 | 60.4% | -0.5% |
| 2015 | 60.0% | -0.6% |
| 2016 | 59.6% | -0.7% |
| 2017 | 59.2% | -0.7% |
| 2018 | 58.7% | -0.8% |
| 2019 | 58.2% | -0.8% |
| 2020 | 57.7% | -0.9% |
| 2021 | 57.1% | -1.0% |
| 2022 | 56.7% | -0.7% |
| 2023 | 56.3% | -0.7% |
| 2024 | 55.9% | -0.8% |
| 2025 | 55.4% | -0.8% |
Central African Republic compared with similar countries
- Central African Republic's 55.4% is below the median for low income countries, which is 65.5%, 85% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Central African Republic's 55.4% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 55.1%, 1.0× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 77.0% | 73.5% | 79.9% | 10 |
| 1970s | 67.1% | 64.3% | 72.4% | 10 |
| 1980s | 63.4% | 62.9% | 64.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 62.6% | 62.3% | 62.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 62.0% | 61.5% | 62.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 60.0% | 58.2% | 61.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 56.5% | 55.4% | 57.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Central African Republic
More agriculture & rural data for Central African Republic
- Cropland extent over the long-term, annual growth rate 3.58 % change on previous year (2025)
- Cropland extent over the long-term, per unit of GDP 0.001 hectares per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Cropland extent over the long-term, per capita 0.5488 hectares per person (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, annual growth rate 1.77 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per unit of GDP 0.002 hectares per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per capita 1.09 hectares per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 10.27 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.2761 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 153.53 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 2.63 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population in Central African Republic?
- Rural population in Central African Republic was 55.4% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest rural population recorded in Central African Republic?
- The highest recorded value was 79.9% in 1960.
- What is the lowest rural population recorded in Central African Republic?
- The lowest recorded value was 55.4% in 2025.
- How does Central African Republic rank for rural population?
- Central African Republic ranks 55th out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is rural population rising or falling in Central African Republic?
- Over the last ten years it is down 7.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Central African Republic data come from?
- The figures come from World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN), published as part of Rural population (% of total population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Rural population refers to people living in rural areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated as the difference between total population and urban population.